Language Protocol

Use of the Awabakal Language

Miromaa Aboriginal Language & Technology Centre (MALTC) - (this is the trading name for Arwarbukarl Cultural Resource Assocation), does not claim "ownership" of the Awabakal language itself. The Awabakal language belongs to Awabakal country, and in the understanding of MALTC, it is the Aboriginal language that is most apt and appropriate to be spoken within the boundaries of traditional Awabakal country.

We at MALTC, ask you all to honour this language, and, should you study it, that you use it in a respectful manner and that you do not exploit the language—its words, phrases, sentences, grammar or idioms—for the purposes of a commercial gimmick alone. We ask any of you, who may wish to name any object, place or organisation including amateur groups such as sporting, theatre or other community groups and non-profit organisational events such as charity drives and whatever else, that you observe protocols and first contact MALTC for advice on whether it is fitting do so, and also to ensure that the Awabakal expression desired is the most grammatically, lexically and idiomatically apt expression insofar as can be reasonably determined at the time of the proposed naming.

MALTC invites all Aboriginal people living in Awabakal country to become familiar with and attempt to learn or at least use some fragments of the Awabakal language to preserve its unique culture and reanimate its rhythm and melody to ring through Awabakal country (Parai Awabakalkoba) once again.

It may interest the reader to explain why the language, its people and culture is written 'Awabakal' but our organisation name spells the word 'Arwarbukarl'. The spelling in the corporate name derives from an early attempt to standardise a spelling system for the language, which was subsequently superseded by the one used herein. Nonetheless, it seemed appropriate to distinguish the name for the language, its people and culture and the corporate name for the organisation.